Max Verstappen takes first win of 2024 and talks Lewis Hamilton rivalry – F1 news round-up

Oliver Harden 21 Jan 2024 10:00 PM

Max Verstappen lifts the trophy aloft after winning the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.

Sunday’s fast-paced F1 news roundup makes for some very lovely reading for Max Verstappen.

After claiming his first victory (of sorts) of 2024, the three-time World Champion discussed his relationship with 2021 title rival Lewis Hamilton.

No time to waste, so let’s get into the day’s main headlines…

Max Verstappen claims first victory of 2024

Max Verstappen has been enjoying more sim racing in his spare time away from Formula 1, and took victory in the GTD class of the iRacing 24 Hours of Daytona over the weekend.

Verstappen was piloting the #4 Team Redline GT3 car alongside Gianni Vecchio and Ole Steinbraten around a virtual Daytona, with dozens of three-driver teams taking part over the course of a full 24-hour period.

Due to the GTD class showcasing the slowest cars of the three on show, behind GTP and LMP2 in prototypes, Verstappen and his team-mates had to navigate the race while almost continuously being lapped but the three-time F1 World Champion and his team-mates still took victory in their 12-car category nonetheless.

The first of many victories in 2024, perhaps?

Max Verstappen provides update on Lewis Hamilton bond

Max Verstappen has said he and Lewis Hamilton are “just normal guys” when they’re together in a private setting, when asked about the current state of their rivalry.

While Verstappen has won 44 of the last 66 races stretching back to his maiden title-winning campaign in 2021, Hamilton remains without a win since the penultimate round of that season in Saudi Arabia.

More than two years on from that night in Abu Dhabi, Verstappen was asked about his relationship with Hamilton now…

Eddie Jordan overlooks Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso in dream F1 pairing

Former F1 team owner Eddie Jordan believes Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso are now too old to match Max Verstappen, choosing two youngsters as his dream driver pairing.

Hamilton turned 39 earlier this month, while Alonso is set to celebrate his 43rd birthday in July.

Jordan believes the pair would struggle to keep up with Verstappen now, claiming Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris are the only ones who can stand in Max’s way.

David Coulthard calls for F1 tyre war return

David Coulthard believes the re-introduction of a second tyre supplier in F1 would bring about a natural “competitive shift” at certain circuits.

Pirelli have been the sole tyre supplier in the sport since 2011, with the previous years of ‘tyre wars’ between Bridgestone and Michelin coming to an end when Michelin left Formula 1 at the end of 2006.

With the tyres bringing about a level playing field on the contact patch on the road, Coulthard claimed a second supplier would enhance the spectacle.

Ferrari tech guru to follow Laurent Mekies to Red Bull?

Ferrari tech guru could be set to follow Laurent Mekies to AlphaTauri with the Red Bull junior team reportedly interested in his services.

Resta left Haas on the same day Guenther Steiner’s departure was announced earlier this month, with the engineer back at Ferrari but playing no role in the Scuderia’s F1 division.

New AlphaTauri boss Mekies was recently described as “dangerous” to Ferrari given his intimate knowledge of the team’s staff, with fears that he could tempt others to follow him from Maranello to Faenza.